Inception fic; Arthur/Cobb; PG
Title: Prompt: After waiting and worrying that Cobb might be stuck in Limbo permanently, Arthur is so relieved to see him wake on the plane that he has to run to the airplane bathroom to roll his die till he can believe he's not dreaming. Cobb follows him...
Rating: PG
Word Count: 1,330
Disclaimer: Not mine!
Summary: The last time Arthur saw Cobb, he was dying in a dream and not waking up. When Arthur wakes, he can't believe he's not dreaming when he sees Cobb join them in reality. This is a bit to optimistic to be any good, but I like happy and am bad at writing anything else. :(
Author Notes: Everyone, quick! Mad Max is on IFC! Soon, that will be Tom Hardy, so familiarize yourself. My help_pakistan thread is here!
***
Arthur watches Cobb's eyes open, and sees him blink. It's a better site than he's had for the hours they were on the plane, or the days they were below. He can't...think right now, but he can't avert his eyes. He had been sure that Cobb would be lost down there. He wants to look away, because it occurs to him that he isn't sure of anything.
Here and now, looking at Cobb, he could be back in the van, or in the hotel room, or anywhere that isn't reality. Cobb could be back in the dream, and Arthur woke up, but he knows that the mind searches for logic, reaching so far that it might have decided he woke up.
When Cobb glances at him Arthur looks down at his hands, and sees that they're shaking. He glances around to see Saito reaching for the phone, and frowns. He pats his totem, in his pocket, and feels the corners. The way they press into his chest when he pushes is a relief. It can bring him answers.
"Excuse me," Arthur says quickly, and strides to the lavatory. He doesn't make eye contact with anyone, because this is a weakness he's indulging; he knows this should be reality, and everyone accepts that it is, but he can't. If they're acting normal because he needs them to, they could be projections.
Cobb woke up, he came back, and if that's not real Arthur needs to know. He needs to know if he needs to wake up, so that he can wake Cobb up. It's not nearly as selfish as other things he's done. He locks the door, and takes a breath, closing his eyes a moment before looking around.
He pulls the changing table out from the wall, and then hesitates. If this is a dream, will he be able to get back to reality to fix it? He thinks that he has to at least try. He's never been very good at lying to himself. Arthur tosses the die onto the changing table, and thinks about how Cobb wants to see his children, about how he wants Cobb to be happy, and about how Cobb is desperate.
Arthur watches the die roll and prays with a desperation to match Cobb's. Just as the die hits one edge of the table and bounces toward the middle, someone knocks on the door. "Occupied," Arthur says loudly, eyes trained on the die. The knock comes again, louder. "Ocupado," Arthur tries again, because it's also on the door. The die rolls some more, and Arthur's praying for two. He needs it to be two. Someone knocks on the door again, and Arthur can't keep his frustration in check. "Occupé, occupato, besetzt, obsazeno, zauzeti! Shall I continue, or am I clear in my meaning?"
His question is met with some silence, and Arthur is hoping whoever is out there got the message. "Arthur," Cobb says, and Arthur's hands grip the table so hard the plastic creaks. His die isn't stopping yet, so he's stuck in here, with Cobb outside. "Arthur, please let me in."
Arthur looks at the die, watches it continue, before turning to let Cobb in. He unlocks the door quickly, eying the mirror so he can still catch a glimpse of his die. Cobb's pressing on the door, wanting in as soon as the latch goes. Arthur steps back, keeping himself in between Cobb and his die, because if Cobb is a projection, Arthur isn't sure about what will happen. It wasn't wise to let him in, Arthur thinks.
Cobb locks the door again behind them, and then turns around to look at Arthur. "Arthur, look at me," Cobb says. Arthur's already facing him, but it takes real physical effort to take his eyes away from the mirror, from looking at the die. "I'm here. I'm not a projection, I really am here," Cobb says, making Arthur wince.
"Wouldn't you say that no matter who you were, projection or not?" Arthur asks rhetorically, and tries to turn to face the die he can hear clattering around the table. Cobb catches his wrist and steps with him as Arthur turns to see the die.
"Yes," Cobb admits. Arthur wasn't expecting an answer, so he doesn't say anything. Cobb continues, "I probably would, but I am here. Watch," he says, and Arthur wants to snap at him and tell him that there's no way he'd be doing anything else, but he's distracted by Cobb's hands resting on his hips. They're pressed close together in the plane's bathroom, despite it being first class.
Arthur stands ramrod straight, eyes trained on the die, praying for two. He feels Cobb move a little sideways to see better, and Arthur wonders if he's as invested in the answer as Arthur is, or if he's more certain of reality. Arthur's less certain than ever; Cobb's proximity is messing with him, and he balls his hands into fists to stop the shaking. Arthur's having trouble that Cobb would do this in real life.
Together they watch the die roll from four, to six, to three, to five, before landing on two. When Arthur takes a breath, it feels like it's the first real one he's taken since they took the Cobol job. The world tips sideways again but it's not the plane, or a dream. It's Cobb turning him around and maneuvering him so he can kiss him, firm and triumphant and happy, once Arthur kisses back.
One kiss turns into two, into five, until Arthur stops counting because he isn't sure if one kiss ends simply because he has to take a breath. Cobb's grinning against his cheek when a flight attendant knocks on the door, and leaves first, pressing a kiss to Arthur's cheek before he goes. Dazed and a little mussed-looking, Arthur takes the time to look in the mirror, to check his appearance. He barely remembers to grab his die and pocket it before returning to his seat.
He's less dazed as they disembark, and trails behind Cobb inconspicuously until he sees him get past immigration. Arthur feels relief course through him and goes through the security on autopilot the rest of the way, trying to clear his head and not get sidetracked by what happened on the plane. He still has to review records of business expenses for this job, and make sure everything is set up to properly monitor Fischer's movements, business and personal, over the next six months to a year.
"You'll be in town for a little while, right?" The question comes from behind him while Arthur's waiting to see his bag in the carousel, and he turns to see Cobb looking expectantly at him. Arthur feels a lightness in his chest, and doesn't fight the small smile he feels coming.
"Two weeks was my plan," Arthur confirms, and Cobb nods. Arthur hesitates, but Cobb's still staring at him. "I - would you like to have lunch, in a few days, after...?" Arthur asks, and ignores the way Eames, who was ignoring them before, is now staring from a few spots down the baggage carousel queue. Arthur just asked out his boss and best friend, who is also a father of two and a widower, formerly married to a very good friend of his. He can appreciate Eames' incredulity later, he's too busy trying not to worry now.
"I'd love to," Cobb answers, ducking his head and smiling. My God, Arthur thinks, we're flirting. "You'll call?" Cobb asks, and Arthur nods. "I'll see you later, then," Cobb nods at him, and then turns to head out the glass doors. His father-in-law is picking him up, Arthur guesses. He wonders if he's setting himself up for failure and heartbreak; he knows he should stay focused on business, but instead of thinking about his contacts and the reports he'll be keeping on Fischer's progress, he's thinking of restaurants that he can bring children to.
Rating: PG
Word Count: 1,330
Disclaimer: Not mine!
Summary: The last time Arthur saw Cobb, he was dying in a dream and not waking up. When Arthur wakes, he can't believe he's not dreaming when he sees Cobb join them in reality. This is a bit to optimistic to be any good, but I like happy and am bad at writing anything else. :(
Author Notes: Everyone, quick! Mad Max is on IFC! Soon, that will be Tom Hardy, so familiarize yourself. My help_pakistan thread is here!
***
Arthur watches Cobb's eyes open, and sees him blink. It's a better site than he's had for the hours they were on the plane, or the days they were below. He can't...think right now, but he can't avert his eyes. He had been sure that Cobb would be lost down there. He wants to look away, because it occurs to him that he isn't sure of anything.
Here and now, looking at Cobb, he could be back in the van, or in the hotel room, or anywhere that isn't reality. Cobb could be back in the dream, and Arthur woke up, but he knows that the mind searches for logic, reaching so far that it might have decided he woke up.
When Cobb glances at him Arthur looks down at his hands, and sees that they're shaking. He glances around to see Saito reaching for the phone, and frowns. He pats his totem, in his pocket, and feels the corners. The way they press into his chest when he pushes is a relief. It can bring him answers.
"Excuse me," Arthur says quickly, and strides to the lavatory. He doesn't make eye contact with anyone, because this is a weakness he's indulging; he knows this should be reality, and everyone accepts that it is, but he can't. If they're acting normal because he needs them to, they could be projections.
Cobb woke up, he came back, and if that's not real Arthur needs to know. He needs to know if he needs to wake up, so that he can wake Cobb up. It's not nearly as selfish as other things he's done. He locks the door, and takes a breath, closing his eyes a moment before looking around.
He pulls the changing table out from the wall, and then hesitates. If this is a dream, will he be able to get back to reality to fix it? He thinks that he has to at least try. He's never been very good at lying to himself. Arthur tosses the die onto the changing table, and thinks about how Cobb wants to see his children, about how he wants Cobb to be happy, and about how Cobb is desperate.
Arthur watches the die roll and prays with a desperation to match Cobb's. Just as the die hits one edge of the table and bounces toward the middle, someone knocks on the door. "Occupied," Arthur says loudly, eyes trained on the die. The knock comes again, louder. "Ocupado," Arthur tries again, because it's also on the door. The die rolls some more, and Arthur's praying for two. He needs it to be two. Someone knocks on the door again, and Arthur can't keep his frustration in check. "Occupé, occupato, besetzt, obsazeno, zauzeti! Shall I continue, or am I clear in my meaning?"
His question is met with some silence, and Arthur is hoping whoever is out there got the message. "Arthur," Cobb says, and Arthur's hands grip the table so hard the plastic creaks. His die isn't stopping yet, so he's stuck in here, with Cobb outside. "Arthur, please let me in."
Arthur looks at the die, watches it continue, before turning to let Cobb in. He unlocks the door quickly, eying the mirror so he can still catch a glimpse of his die. Cobb's pressing on the door, wanting in as soon as the latch goes. Arthur steps back, keeping himself in between Cobb and his die, because if Cobb is a projection, Arthur isn't sure about what will happen. It wasn't wise to let him in, Arthur thinks.
Cobb locks the door again behind them, and then turns around to look at Arthur. "Arthur, look at me," Cobb says. Arthur's already facing him, but it takes real physical effort to take his eyes away from the mirror, from looking at the die. "I'm here. I'm not a projection, I really am here," Cobb says, making Arthur wince.
"Wouldn't you say that no matter who you were, projection or not?" Arthur asks rhetorically, and tries to turn to face the die he can hear clattering around the table. Cobb catches his wrist and steps with him as Arthur turns to see the die.
"Yes," Cobb admits. Arthur wasn't expecting an answer, so he doesn't say anything. Cobb continues, "I probably would, but I am here. Watch," he says, and Arthur wants to snap at him and tell him that there's no way he'd be doing anything else, but he's distracted by Cobb's hands resting on his hips. They're pressed close together in the plane's bathroom, despite it being first class.
Arthur stands ramrod straight, eyes trained on the die, praying for two. He feels Cobb move a little sideways to see better, and Arthur wonders if he's as invested in the answer as Arthur is, or if he's more certain of reality. Arthur's less certain than ever; Cobb's proximity is messing with him, and he balls his hands into fists to stop the shaking. Arthur's having trouble that Cobb would do this in real life.
Together they watch the die roll from four, to six, to three, to five, before landing on two. When Arthur takes a breath, it feels like it's the first real one he's taken since they took the Cobol job. The world tips sideways again but it's not the plane, or a dream. It's Cobb turning him around and maneuvering him so he can kiss him, firm and triumphant and happy, once Arthur kisses back.
One kiss turns into two, into five, until Arthur stops counting because he isn't sure if one kiss ends simply because he has to take a breath. Cobb's grinning against his cheek when a flight attendant knocks on the door, and leaves first, pressing a kiss to Arthur's cheek before he goes. Dazed and a little mussed-looking, Arthur takes the time to look in the mirror, to check his appearance. He barely remembers to grab his die and pocket it before returning to his seat.
He's less dazed as they disembark, and trails behind Cobb inconspicuously until he sees him get past immigration. Arthur feels relief course through him and goes through the security on autopilot the rest of the way, trying to clear his head and not get sidetracked by what happened on the plane. He still has to review records of business expenses for this job, and make sure everything is set up to properly monitor Fischer's movements, business and personal, over the next six months to a year.
"You'll be in town for a little while, right?" The question comes from behind him while Arthur's waiting to see his bag in the carousel, and he turns to see Cobb looking expectantly at him. Arthur feels a lightness in his chest, and doesn't fight the small smile he feels coming.
"Two weeks was my plan," Arthur confirms, and Cobb nods. Arthur hesitates, but Cobb's still staring at him. "I - would you like to have lunch, in a few days, after...?" Arthur asks, and ignores the way Eames, who was ignoring them before, is now staring from a few spots down the baggage carousel queue. Arthur just asked out his boss and best friend, who is also a father of two and a widower, formerly married to a very good friend of his. He can appreciate Eames' incredulity later, he's too busy trying not to worry now.
"I'd love to," Cobb answers, ducking his head and smiling. My God, Arthur thinks, we're flirting. "You'll call?" Cobb asks, and Arthur nods. "I'll see you later, then," Cobb nods at him, and then turns to head out the glass doors. His father-in-law is picking him up, Arthur guesses. He wonders if he's setting himself up for failure and heartbreak; he knows he should stay focused on business, but instead of thinking about his contacts and the reports he'll be keeping on Fischer's progress, he's thinking of restaurants that he can bring children to.